We have a responsibility in regards to the people who are still refugees from the Iraq conflict.

So we have a right to expect that the countries are fighting corruption.

There is nothing wrong with conditioning aid because Americans expect there is accountability in the use of our taxpayer dollars.

I interpret that to mean that if you don't have all of the watershed jurisdictions included in the program, then you really don't have a comprehensive plan.

I thought Senator Ensign's point about Lake Tahoe was a very telling point as the forestry has changed.

We are constrained. We have a huge budget deficit in New York, $8.5 billion projected for next year.

New York strongly supports the legislation authored by Senator Gillibrand to fold the Stewardship Act into the Restoration Act.

I strongly urge the Senate to consider increasing the current Federal 50-50 match for Long Island Sound projects to a 75-25 match.

Senator Gillibrand was here earlier... wanted very much to extend her greetings to you.

This non-controversial measure will build on the work over the last two decades to restore Long Island Sound for the benefit of millions of Americans.

I think we need to be more courageous than we have been historically and be more open to changing course when things aren't working.

You have to have a plan where, as you said all the lands are, whoever said, the last panel, said all the lands are included.

You shouldn't be penalized because you did the right thing.

Well, we will change the name to the Great Oceans.

The programs that have been submitted dealing with nutrient reduction require a certain level from the agricultural practices.

I think having those measurable goals and then publicly announce those goals and measure our progress against that I think is critically important.

I think we need to start looking at different levels and where, when you request Federal participation, whether it is the concentration of a Federal agency that will be responsible for that body of water, or whether it is Federal funding…

I am advancing legislation that would reauthorize these two important programs an additional 5 years at their current authorization levels.